Stalin intensifies attack over NEP, slams Pradhan for his ‘arrogance’

Hours after ruckus in the Parliament over the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) and the related three language formula, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin accused Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan of “arrogance” and being deceitful in response to the latter’s remarks in the Lok Sabha the DMK-led state government of “ruining the future of students”.

On X, Stalin shared Pradhan’s letter to him from August 2024 that outlined Tamil Nadu’s decision to reject the NEP, the three language policy and a memorandum of understanding on the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme.

“Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who thinks himself as king, speaking with arrogance should have control over his tongue. Wasn’t it you who wrote to me confirming that the Tamil Nadu government had completely rejected NEP, the three-language policy, and the PM SHRI MoU?” he said.

In the Parliament, Pradhan accused the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government of changing its stand on implementing the centrally-sponsored scheme. Responding to a question on the PM SHRI scheme, he said the Tamil Nadu government initially agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the central government on implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) and get funds in return. “But now they have changed the stand.”

“They are doing mischief with the life of the students. They are misleading the people and doing injustice to students of Tamil Nadu,” he said. DMK lawmakers took exception to Pradhan’s remarks and raised slogans against the Union government. Speaker Om Birla asked them to return to their seats for the House to function. He adjourned the House until noon as the DMK members continued their protests.

In the social media post, Stalin, said that the Centre is cheating Tamil Nadu by not releasing funds for education. “You are withholding Tamil Nadu’s rightful funds and deceiving us… You are insulting the people of Tamil Nadu. Does the Honorable Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, accept this?” Stalin posted on X.

“Mr. Pradhan, we act only according to the will of the people! Unlike you, we do not follow orders from Nagpur,” Stalin said in reference to the BJP’s ideological fount the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) being headquartered in Nagpur. “Now, answer this one simple question—Can you release the funds rightfully due to Tamil Nadu’s students, which you collected as taxes from us, or not?” Stalin asked.

Stalin last month reiterated his stand against NEP. He said the opposition to it was not only over the imposition of Hindi.